"Reports that say that something hasn't happened are always interesting to me, because as we know, there are known knowns;there are things we know we know.We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know. But there are also unknown unknowns-the ones we don't know we don't know."
Donald Rumsfeld

Saturday, February 8, 2014

Controlling Your Anger on the Road: Tips to Keep Your Calm

by A. Grano

We’ve all been guilty of road rage from time to time – sometimes it is almost impossible not to lose your cool in certain situations, such as when a driver makes a hasty lane change to cut you off, nearly resulting in an accident.

It’s ok to not bottle your emotions completely – go ahead and call that driver any name you want – but don’t go shouting it out the window or try to retaliate by acting like the irresponsible drivers you try to avoid!

While both suppressing your anger or allowing it to build into rage are bad for your health, there are steps you can take to avoid meltdowns when stuck in traffic or dealing with obnoxious drivers- the healthy way!

Keep it in Perspective

It’s easy to blow the situation out of perspective when you are caught up in traffic for an extra ten minutes – but think of the consequences of acting irrational and possibly endangering others or yourself by driving recklessly. Most likely, those few extra minutes are really not that big of a deal. A quick phone call to tell your waiting party that you will be running a bit late is much better than not showing up at all!

Practice Your Breathing

While some may scoff at this idea, studies have shown that deep breathing and muscle relaxation techniques not only help promote calmness for the situation at hand, but can have beneficial long-term effects when practiced regularly, such as reducing high blood pressure, a condition that increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney failure.

Natural Solutions

For additional support for those prone to having short tempers, check out:

Nux vom (6C), a tissue salt used as a cellular nutrient for the nervous system and brain to support calmed mood and balanced emotions.

Chamomilla (6C), a soothing natural remedy frequently used when the emotional reaction seems out of proportion to the situation or event.

Lycopodium (6C), a homeopathic remedy used to address symptoms experienced by individuals who are said to be ‘highly strung’ or volatile.

Anger-Soothe™ is a homeopathic remedy that reduces irritability, anger and rage, including temper outbursts.